Grown Up
by grumpyjenn
Summary: Yeah, they're only 17, but in their would, that IS grown up
1. Chapter 1

That _bitch_.

She had hurt Hermione – _tortured_ her – just for the insane and disgusting thrill of it. Now it was all over, Ron was sick about it; Hermione had been screaming in terror and pain and he couldn't help her. He felt awful. After all they had been through together, after he had left Hermione and Harry – yeah, he knew he had been under the influence of the Horcrux and it hadn't really been his fault, or so they all said but he wasn't convinced – after all _that_, he couldn't even help her. He'd loved her for _ages_ and he'd been an ass to her and to Harry and she'd almost died at the hands of the crazy bitch. He'd never felt so guilty in his life.

"Ron! Ron-ald Bilius Weasley, where did you get to? Ron!" He looked up as his mother shouted his name, spotted her familiar comfortable form, and waved. He couldn't help but grin; he was so proud of her. She looked like this dumpy little kitchen witch, and usually she _was_ exactly that. It was easy to forget Mum'd been a Gryffindor, as brave and valiant as the rest. Until she'd destroyed the right-hand woman of You Know Who, single-handedly, at the threat to her daughter. Ron sort of envied Ginny; he wished Mum cared as much about him as she did about Ginny. Oh well, Ginny was the only girl, and at seventeen he was used to it. He didn't doubt Mum loved him, it was just that Ginny and Mum had this special no-chaps-allowed relationship.

Mum spotted him and waved back, then came marching up to him, scattering hairpins behind her. She grabbed his face between her hands and kissed him (aww, Mum, get _off_!) and then held him by his ears, looking into his face.

"Ronald Weasley, you're as bad as any two of your brothers put together! You're sitting here moping over whether you could've helped her, aren't you?" She didn't wait for him to answer, but plowed on. "You are just barely of age, not fully trained, and not responsible for what that… _person_… did to _anyone_. You are not responsible, do you hear me?" He nodded hesitantly, and she went on, a little more gently. "Ron, Hermione loves you. Go to her and show her you love her too, that you don't blame her for what Bellatrix did to her." She laughed as Ron gaped at her. "You're shocked that your mother would suggest you _show_ her? You're of age, Ron, and so is Hermione, and after all the two of you've been through with Harry over the past seven years I think I can trust you to behave like adults. Now go." She kissed him on the forehead, turned him around, and shoved him gently in Hermione's direction.

He stumbled toward Hermione, who was facing away, talking with Ginny and Luna. Ginny glanced up, touched Luna's arm, and led the blonde away, reaching out to touch Ron's arm in a gesture of support as they passed. Hermione looked up as he neared her, hesitated for a moment… and then threw herself into his arms, holding him as tightly as if she'd never let him go.


	2. Chapter 2

_Oh God_.

He _had_ been afraid – and Mum had seen right through him. She would, of course – Mum was like that – she always saw more than you thought. But Hermione was clinging to him, and not in the nasty way Lavender had done; Hermione felt _right _there in his arms. He buried his face in her hair and whispered into her ear. "Let's go find somewhere with a bit of privacy, can we?" She loosened her grip a bit and looked up at him, then nodded. He noticed her eyes were full of tears, but she didn't look sad, not at all.

She swung away, holding his hand, and led him across the square to the inn. Once they went inside and shut the door, the noise of the chattering people outside was cut suddenly off., Hermione looked startled and peered at the innkeeper. He chuckled. "An enchantment, y'know; customers pay more if they can have privacy and quiet in an inn of a night. What can I do for you nice folks today? I've a special on, the Dark Lord bein' defeated an' all." He watched them, warily, it seemed to Ron; he was probably gauging which side they'd been on. Hermione blushed a deep crimson, but her voice was steady as she looked the man straight in the eye and said, "We'd like a room, please."

"Right y'are, miss, rooms are what I've got, and ye looks like kindly folk." A Vox Quill slid out from under the counter in front of him, looked up expectantly. "Names, please?"

"Ron Weasley."

"Hermione Granger."

The innkeeper's round ruddy face beamed at them as the quill began to write their names in the guest book. "Are ye _really_? Ye mean, the best friends of the famous Harry Potter? Wonderful! Oh, I'm that glad tae have ye in my inn, I am that! Why, ye're almost as famous as yer friend yerselves! Imagine, the two best friends of the Boy Who Lived here, in _my_ inn!" He kept beaming at them, busily magicking towels and extra pillows and chocolates from a store room behind him, chattering away. Ron didn't dare look at Hermione; he knew if he did they'd both start giggling, and he didn't want to hurt the man's feelings. There were some perks to being the best friends of the Hero of the wizarding world.

As the man led them up the stairs, still babbling about how pleased he was, Ron put his arm tentatively around Hermione and followed. He guessed that was the right thing to do, as she leaned into his arm and seemed content. He was still worried, though. Hermione wasn't usually as quiet as she had been today, and he fretted. He shook his head. This was ridiculous; Hermione was fine.

The man opened the door to what was obviously his best room, ushered Hermione is with a certain professional courtliness, threw Ron a wink, and left. Hermione sat on the bed, and Ron took the precaution of locking the door before he sat next to her. She was staring at her feet, looking a bit nervous and very unsure. He reached over and tipped her chin up with one finger, He kissed her lightly on the nose and gathered her up close, hugging as tightly as he could without hurting her. She sighed and snuggled closer, tucking her head under his chin. He found himself stroking her back gently, and murmuring wordlessly to her. When he realized she was crying, he just held her closer. She relaxed slowly, by stages, and finally her even breathing showed Ron that she was asleep. He laid her gently back onto the bed, took off her shoes, and tried to sleep himself.

When he woke, he found her head pillowed on his chest and her arms around him. While this was not precisely comfortable, he reveled in the knowledge that she trusted him. After all he'd done, she still trusted him. He still felt the shame and the guilt, but it was more bearable now. And – as a bonus – it was clear that she was a quiet snuggler, not the grasping clinging mess Lavender had been. As always, the image of an octopus entered his mind when he thought of Lavender, and he chuckled.

"Hmm?" Hermione murmured sleepily.

"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to wake you."

"It's all right. What were you laughing at?"

"It's not very kind of me, but I was thinking how nice it was to have you here. Lavender and I had good fun – for a few days before she got so grabby and started calling me Won-Won. I always thought if she was capable of conjuring a patronus, it'd be an octopus… all clingy tentacles and shrill noises."

Hermione giggled as she sat up. "It probably would. Poor Lavender; she so wanted Won-Won to be who she thought he was. We should get her together with Viktor Krum!"

Ron stared at her. "I thought you liked Viktor. Why would you set Lavender on him?" He started to laugh, and after a moment, Hermione joined in. It wasn't really that funny, Ron thought, but hysterical laughter seemed to be something they both needed, and badly. They rocked back and forth, howling with laughter, and at one point hit their heads together inadvertently, which just made them laugh all the harder.

When they finally calmed, Ron noticed that all the tears were gone from Hermione's face. And that her face was very – very – close to his. He took a deep breath. "Hermione?"

"Oh Ron, _do_ shut up and kiss me!"

So he did. And she was kissing him back and she had her arms tight round his neck and her lips were so soft and she tasted so sweet and oh God he wanted the kiss to last forever… but she pulled back and looked into his face, suddenly serious. "Please don't leave me again."

"I won't. I promise."

"Love me."

"Hermione, I've loved you for ages."

"Then show me."

So he did.


End file.
